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Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez

From Ballotpedia
Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez
New Mexico House of Representatives District 30
Tenure
2025 - Present
Term ends
2026
Years in position
1
Predecessor:Natalie Figueroa (D)
Compensation
Base salary
$0/year
Per diem
$202/day
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 5, 2024
Education
Ph.D
The University of New Mexico, 1988
Personal
Profession
Educator
Contact

Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez (Democratic Party) (also known as Diane) is a member of theNew Mexico House of Representatives, representingDistrict 30. She assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on December 31, 2026.

Torres-Velasquez (Democratic Party) ran for election to theNew Mexico House of Representatives to representDistrict 30. She won in the general election onNovember 5, 2024.

Torres-Velasquez completed Ballotpedia'sCandidate Connection survey in 2024.Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez earned a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in 1988. Torres-Velasquez's career experience includes working as an educator.[1]

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according toBillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Committee assignments

2025-2026

Torres-Velasquez was assigned to the following committees:


Elections

2024

See also: New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 30

Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez defeatedLori Robertson in the general election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 30 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez
Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez (D) Candidate Connection
 
54.1
 
7,987
Image of Lori Robertson
Lori Robertson (R) Candidate Connection
 
45.9
 
6,766

Ballotpedia Logo

There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 14,753
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 30

Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 30 on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez
Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
2,036

Ballotpedia Logo

There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,036
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 30

Jared Secret defeatedVictoria Dore in the Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 30 on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jared Secret
Jared Secret Candidate Connection
 
54.3
 
735
Victoria Dore
 
45.7
 
618

Ballotpedia Logo

There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,353
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Torres-Velasquez in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also:Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Torres-Velasquez's responses.

Expand all |Collapse all

As a lifelong educator deeply committed to social justice and equity, I bring a wealth of experience in addressing the complex challenges facing our communities. My extensive background in education, research, and advocacy equips me with the skills needed to effectively represent the diverse needs of our district. My leadership roles in university governance committees and my community initiatives demonstrate my ability to collaborate and enact positive change.Soy una educadora comprometida con la justicia social y la equidad. Eso me da experiencia significativa y substancial, y puedo confrontar la complexidad de retos de nuestra comunidad. Tengo un extenso trasfondo en educación, investigación y abogacía, destrezas que dedico a una representación efectiva y un mejor entendimiento de las necesidades diversas. Mi rol de líder en asuntos de gobierno universitario y en iniciativas comunitarias asegura que lograré mayor colaboración y cambios positivos.
  • Nothing is more fundamental to building and maintaining our democracy than ensuring equitable and high-quality education for all New Mexicans. I plan to advocate for increased funding and implementation of the reforms mandated by Judge Singleton in the landmark Martínez and Yazzie lawsuits to improve educational outcomes and support educators. I will collaborate with stakeholders to develop effective strategies addressing root causes of educational disparities and promote student success.Nada es más fundamental para mantener y seguir construyendo democracia que asegurar equidad y alta calidad educacional para todos los Nuevomexicanos.
  • Our communities tend to be close knit and look out for each other. Yet crime and safety issues are very real. Actions we could take proactively are to invest in evidence-based crime prevention programs that address root causes of crime such as poverty, substance abuse, mental health issues, and lack of educational and economic opportunities; implement common-sense gun safety; and encourage collaboration and coordination between law enforcement, community, social services, and other stakeholders.Nuestras comunidades tienden ser bien cercanas. Pero el crimen y los asuntos de seguridad son reales. Podemos ser más proactivos invirtiendo en programas de prevención del crimen que se basan en la evidencia.
  • Additional water policies are needed to address water scarcity and ensure sustainable water management. We need a comprehensive approach that responsibly and effectively integrates water management with conservation, equity, and sustainability principles to address the water challenges facing New Mexico today and in the future. A plan must prioritize equitable distribution and allocation of water resources among various users, including tribal and acequia communities and rural areas.Necesitamos un acercamiento responsable y efectivo que integra el manejo del agua con su conservación, la equidad, y principios de sostenimiento para enfrentar los retos de Nuevo Mexico hoy y en el futuro.
I am most passionate about education because I see how central it is to addressing all other issues we face in 2024. Of course issues of crime and safety, water security, fair and equitable housing, solutions for unhoused individuals and families, and physical and mental health are clear needs across our state and certainly in every community.
La educacion es fundamental para mantener una alta calidad de la vida y la democracia. Por eso me importa tanto. En 2024 mas politicas son necesarias para enfrentar el mantenamiento del agua saludable y sustenible, nuestra seguridad, la salud fisica y mental, acceso a vivienda más segura, y soluciones para personas que no tienen una casa donde vivir.
An elected official must be a good listener and act with the best interest of their constituents mind. They must be a lifelong learner who is willing to do the research to find best solutions for critical problems facing our society. They must be willing to make informed contributions to shared policy and collaborate with other legislators and policy makers to shape the future of their communities.
A State Representative must stay informed of the critical issues facing our communities and society. They must be aware of our constitutional rights (state and national) and the histories of the people in our country.
There are so many. I remember being affected by Sputnik, because my mom was reading books to me about satellites and space travel as I entered school.

In 3rd grade at Sierra Vista Elementary in Albuquerque we were watching a KNME education show when President Kennedy was assassinated. The teacher turned the channel for us to be able to view the news alert together. The first school building had not yet been built since Paradise Hills was still so new. Our classrooms were barracks and the cafeteria was an extra large barrack. All classrooms went to the cafeteria to hear from the principal and to hear the news updates. We were then sent home.

The year I entered Wilson Junior High, it was the first year that the school was desegregated. Black, Latinos, and Whites attended the school together for the first time. The district hired a new principal who hired modern teachers. He hired women with long hair (all respectable teacher in those days had short hair), and they wore "mini-skirts with flowers". Shopping at the grocery store, I could hear mothers telling each other that we would never listen to young women with long hair in mini-skirts. They were wrong. The teachers created a very engaging curriculum for us and we learned about our culture. Wilson never had the racial wars that were predicted.
My very first job was babysitting.
My first real job with a regular paycheck was cutting cloth at Cloth World, a fabric store once on San Mateo just south of Comanche in Albuquerque. My great-grandmother made most of my clothes when I was growing up and worked in a factory making clothes for children. She taught me how to sew. Working at Cloth World with all of those beautiful fabrics gave me a sense of being with my great-grandmother and made me feel empowered because I knew the fabrics and patterns. I worked for two summers at Cloth World and learned some great work habits. I saved my earnings for college and was given a discount on fabrics that I used to make my own clothes. It was fun to meet the other employees and learn designing and sewing tips from each other.
Education

Water scarcity and sustainability
Physical and Mental Health
Unhoused individuals and families
Crime and safety
Sustainable and diversified economic opportunities Affordable housing

Housing options as we experience climate change
New Mexico is a citizen legislature, with many opportunities for citizens to participate in the development of legislation or in the process of passing a bill. I do believe it is important that there be some level of experience in the process and that a candidate for State Representative have a good understanding of state government, legislative committees, and the workings of the House and Senate.
It is absolutely important to build relationships with other legislators. As a citizen legislature, it is important for constituents to build relationships with their legislators whether they anticipate running for office or not. As a legislator it is critical to build relationships with leadership and with peers. Many pieces of legislation have multiple sponsors and it is critical to know who will provide supportive collaboration. Knowing the positions of legislators as they vote for or against any measure can build or stop a bill. It is very important to build relationships with other legislators because we represent our communities and affect the lives of all New Mexicans across the state.
In our New Mexico legislature, we tend to co-sponsor bills. My first bill would most likely be a co-sponsored education bill. I'm also interested in co-sponsoring a bill to create a plan for sustainable water.
Education, Water Resources, Rural Development Land Grants and Cultural Affairs

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Ballotpedia LogoNote: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf.Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at theFEC website. Clickhere for more on federal campaign finance law andhere for more on state campaign finance law.

Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024New Mexico House of Representatives District 30Won general$90,872 $57,196
Grand total$90,872 $57,196
Sources:OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Scorecards

See also:State legislative scorecards andState legislative scorecards in New Mexico

Ascorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of New Mexico scorecards, email suggestions toeditor@ballotpedia.org.













See also


External links

Candidate

New Mexico House of Representatives District 30

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    • Officeholder

    New Mexico House of Representatives District 30

  • Website

    • Footnotes

    1. ↑Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 7, 2024

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    Natalie Figueroa (D)    		New Mexico House of Representatives District 30
    2025-Present    		Succeeded by
    -


    Leadership
    Speaker of the House:Javier Martínez
    Majority Leader:Reena Szczepanski
    Minority Leader:Gail Armstrong
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